Mustard, any of several herbs of the genus Brasica, when ground, yields mustard flour.
The present mustard flour of commerce is produced by aging mustard seeds until they become firm, dehulling and then dry grinding the seeds. About 20 percent of the weight of the seeds is lost in the dehulling process. Dry grinding proceeds in much the same manner as is the case for the production of wheat flour. Accordingly, much classifying, screening and recycling is necessary. Several people on the production line are wholly occupied in the cleaning of sifters whose screen openings have become blinded by caking of the product thereon. Because the amount of screen cleaning that is needed is proportional to the output, an increase in production requires an increase in man-hours of work. Although the theoretical yield of dry ground mustard flour is near 80 percent, losses in processing often lower the actual yield to about 65 percent.
Presently, the mustard flour produced from yellow mustard seed sells for a higher price than the mustard flour produced from oriental mustard seed, because of the lower yield (and resulting higher cost per pound) of yellow mustard seed per acre. However, the flour produced from yellow mustard seed, when used as a mayonnaise or processed meat ingredient, is milder in flavor. When used in mayonnaise, a higher viscosity product is obtained. Accordingly, manufacturers of these products primarily use the higher priced flour made from yellow mustard seed. Brown mustard seed is also used to produce mustard flour and prepared mustard products.
When water is added to dry ground mustard flour, an enzyme, myrosin, catalyzes a glucoside, e.g., sinigrin to produce a volatile, pungent oil, principally allyl isothiocyanate. If the enzyme is destroyed before the flour is hydrated, a bland product is produced, which has found use in the food processing industry as a binder and emulsifier, for instance in frankfurters.
The following United States patents exemplify the state of the mustard flour art.
______________________________________ Patentee Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Klint 2,239,563 April 22, 1941 Musher 2,246,528 June 24, 1941 Schlenk et al 2,827,452 March , 1958 Goering 2,987,399 June 6, 1961 Ferguson, Jr. 3,007,799 November 7, 1961 Ettlinger 3,146,227 August 25, 1964 Rasmussen 3,151,988 October 6, 1964 Dougherty, Jr. 3,574,640 April 13, 1971 Peterson 3,652,297 March 28, 1972 ______________________________________
The U.S. Pat. of Durst No. 3,788,861, issued Jan. 29, 1974, while not relating to mustard flour, contains an extensive bibliography on the art of wet grinding of seeds to produce flour.